Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfiri akɔnnɔ mu nhwɛ ababaawa.
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Ɛdeɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a ɛfiri ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nkyɛn? Ɛdeɛn ne nʼagyapadeɛ a ɛfiri ɔsoro Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛeɛ mma amumuyɛfoɔ? Ɛnyɛ asiane mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne?
4 Does not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Ɔnhunu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a metuo anaa?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hasted to deceit;
“Sɛ manante wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na ɔbɛhunu sɛ me ho nni asɛm.
7 If my step has turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot has cleaved to mine hands;
Sɛ mʼanammɔntuo afom ɛkwan, sɛ mʼakoma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
ɛnneɛ ma afoforɔ nni deɛ madua, na ma wɔntutu me mfudeɛ ngu.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
“Sɛ ɔbaa bi atɔ mʼakoma so, anaasɛ matɛ me yɔnko bi ɛpono akyi a,
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
ɛnneɛ, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforɔ aduane, na mmarima afoforɔ ne no nna.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Ɛfiri sɛ, anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhye kɔduru ɔsɛeɛ mu na ɛbɛtumi atutu mʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa ase.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfoɔ mmarima ne mmaa ntɛnkyea ɛberɛ a wɔ ne me nyaa asɛm,
14 What then shall I do when God rises up? and when he visits, what shall I answer him?
na sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a, ɛdeɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontabuo a, mmuaeɛ bɛn na mɛma?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔbɔɔ me wɔ yafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa korɔ no na ɔbɔɔ yɛn nyinaa wɔ yɛn maamenom yafunu mu?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
“Ohiani bi wɔ hɔ a ɔhia mmoa a mammoa no? Anaa mabu akunafoɔ bi abasa mu?
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten thereof;
Mabɔ mʼaduane ho atirimuɔden a mamma nwisiaa bi?
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb; )
Dabi, ɛfiri me mmeranteberɛ mu, matete wɔn sɛdeɛ agya bɛyɛ, na me nkwa nna nyinaa mu, mahwɛ akunafoɔ.
19 If I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Sɛ mahunu obi a ɔnni aduradeɛ na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a ɔnni atadeɛ,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
na sɛ wamfiri akoma mu anhyira me wɔ ɛberɛ a mede me nnwan ho nwi kaa no hye,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
sɛ mama me nsa so atia awisiaa bi, ɛsiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asɛnniiɛ enti a,
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
ɛnneɛ ma mʼabasa mpan mfiri mʼabatiri, ma ɛmmubu mfiri ne pɔ so.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Mesuroo ɔsɛeɛ a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanimuonyam ho suro enti mantumi anyɛ saa nneɛma yi.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ amapa sɛ, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had got much;
sɛ masɛpɛ me ho wɔ mʼahodeɛ bebrebe enti, ahodeɛ a me nsa aka yi,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
sɛ mahwɛ owia a ɛhyerɛn anaa ɔsrane a ɛnam animuonyam mu,
27 And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand:
ama aka mʼakoma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de anidie maa wɔn a,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
ɛnneɛ na yeinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wɔbu ho atɛn, ɛfiri sɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokorɛ.
29 If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
“Mʼani nnyee wɔ me ɔtamfoɔ amanehunu ho anaa menseree no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so.
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
Memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome obi nkwa.
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
Mʼasomfoɔ a wɔwɔ me fidua mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Ɔma ɛkɔm de yɛn.’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
Ɔhɔhoɔ biara anna abɔntene so da, ɛfiri sɛ me ɛpono ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufoɔ,
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
Makata me bɔne so sɛdeɛ nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdie ahyɛ mʼakoma mu?
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
Suro a mesuro nnipadɔm ne ahohora a ɛfiri mmusua hɔ no enti meyɛɛ komm a mamfiri adi?
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
(“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a ɔbɛtie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyie ase, ma Otumfoɔ no mmua me; ma deɛ ɔbɔ me kwaadu no ntwerɛ ne soboɔbɔ.
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
Ampa ara, anka mede bɛhyɛ mʼabatiri, anka mede bɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛ.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Anka mɛbu mʼanammɔntuo biara ho akonta akyerɛ no; anka mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
“Sɛ mʼasase team tia me na nisuo fɔ nʼakofie nyinaa,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
sɛ madi so aba a mentuaa ka anaasɛ mabu ɛso apaafoɔ no abamu a,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
ma nkasɛɛ mfifiri nsi ayuo anan mu na wira mfu nsi atokoɔ anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
